Upon first meeting, Do Boi Ngoc completely impressed the APC reporter with her confident and energetic demeanor. While still a dynamic young woman her age, Ngoc also exuded a sense of competence and responsibility through her mature sharing and thoughts. At just 21 years old, she is fluent in three languages: English, Japanese, and Chinese, and has two years of experience working in 5-star restaurants and hotels. The journey Boi Ngoc has taken before becoming a freshman at Viet My College will undoubtedly inspire many young people.
Join APC reporters in meeting this young lady shortly.
After graduating from high school in 2016, Do Boi Ngoc chose her own path by taking a gap year to listen to and understand herself, as well as to find her passion. More than anyone else, Ngoc understood who she was, what she needed, and what she wanted, so she didn't follow the crowd to immediately enter university. Instead, she spent her time working and gaining experience in 5-star restaurants and hotels, while also attending short courses to acquire specialized knowledge. A year later, thanks to her own abilities, Boi Ngoc was signed to a contract to work on Star Cruises (a leading cruise company in Asia-Pacific, owning giant ships and operating mainly in Southeast Asian waters) from October 2017 to July 2018.
APC: Boi Ngoc, could you share a little about your work on Star Cruises?
Boi Ngoc: Ngoc applied for a waitressing position because it was the easiest way to get a job on the ship. Although it sounded easy, she still needed certain skills. Thanks to her experience working at the Sheraton Hotel, she wasn't too surprised, as working on the ship is quite demanding, averaging about 10 hours a day. In return, when the ship docked, we got to go sightseeing and explore most Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, and more.
APC: Did you encounter any difficulties while traveling like that, and what experiences did you gain?
Boi Ngoc: I gained a lot of experience. Firstly, I had to adapt to a multinational environment. On the ship, people came from many different countries, so even just English had a mix of accents. Not to mention they spoke slang, which was often difficult for me to understand. Secondly, there was the temperature issue; not only did I experience culture shock, but I also suffered from temperature shock. For example, when we passed through Japan, China, and neighboring countries, it was very cold. We still had to wear very thin uniforms to instruct passengers to wear life jackets in temperatures ranging from 10 to 13 degrees Celsius, which was a huge challenge. Another thing was overcoming homesickness. Many times, working late on the ship's deck, surrounded by darkness, I would just stare into the distance and miss home and my hometown terribly. Luckily for me, that year, the ship docked in Ho Chi Minh City on the third day of Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year), and I was able to return home to visit my family.
Boi Ngoc: Working on the ship, they don't distinguish between different Lunar New Year holidays, so there are no days off. It's just that during our country's Lunar New Year, everyone usually gathers to celebrate the new year, and the experienced crew members encourage the newcomers like us and give us lucky money as a token of support. I received a lot of support from my colleagues while working, and Ngoc felt grateful for all of that.
APC: The way Ngoc shared about her work clearly showed the immense love and determination she has for this field. When did Ngoc discover her passion?
Boi Ngoc: It was probably fate. Ngoc truly cherishes those two years of experience and has no regrets whatsoever.
My colleagues were initially surprised to see how young I was. Before that, when I held my ticket and walked to the airport alone, I was very nervous. I was completely lost and didn't know anything about going to Singapore and preparing to board the ship. Luckily, I met a Vietnamese colleague who guided me.
APC: So, what led Boi Ngoc to Viet My College?
Boi Ngoc: Honestly, after my contract working on the ship ended and I returned home, I went through a period of feeling lost. I simply thought that with this experience, I could get a long-term job at a hotel. But then I realized that wasn't the case. What I needed now was knowledge, because that's the most solid foundation. Experience is good, but experience alone can easily lead to instability. I wanted to improve my skills, so I decided to continue my education. That's why I researched a lot of information about this field of study and the training schools, and finally, I put my trust in Viet My College. To this day, I still feel that choosing to study Hotel Management (BTEC) at my school was a very good decision.
APC: After more than 5 months of studying, which subject impressed Ngoc the most?
Boi Ngoc: What impressed me most was the Study Skills course taught by Mr. Doan. I have to say I liked everything he taught because I found it very interesting. When Ngoc told her friends about what she learned in this course, they said:“Wow, Ngoc's school is so great, how do you get to learn this?...."Because students from other schools don't get to learn like that. From the simplest things like queuing, waiting for the elevator, using public facilities... but these are essential skills for a citizen in the era of globalization, I find it truly amazing.".
APC: With such a clear personal plan as you've shared, what are your goals and expectations for the next two years at Viet My College, Ngoc?
Boi Ngoc: My goal is definitely to graduate in 2 years and 4 months. At the same time, during my studies, I will take exams to obtain three foreign language certificates: English, Chinese, and Japanese. Currently, I'm preparing for the IELTS exam to get a score of 6.5 to 7.0. For Chinese, I'll review to get the HSK certificate, as I'm of Chinese descent and have studied for a long time, so I only need to review. As for Japanese, because I love Japan so much, I've self-studied and obtained the N5 certificate, and I want to take the N4 exam next year. Further down the line, I want to become a flight attendant for Emirates (one of the two national airlines of the United Arab Emirates, along with Etihad Airways, headquartered in Dubai) and then own my own homestay.
APC: As someone very young but with a wealth of valuable work experience, does Boi Ngoc have any stories or advice she would like to share with students?
Boi Ngoc: Ngoc sees that many young people are very talented now, but some often lack the courage to do what they want. There's a book I really like called 'Think and Grow Rich' – the more I think about success, the more motivated I become to achieve it.
As I mentioned earlier, there was a period after I returned to Vietnam when I felt lost. At that time, I was trying my hand at a small business project, but I lacked experience, so it failed. I just want to tell you all to try your best, and even if you fail or suffer losses, take responsibility for it. These are valuable lessons, and you won't have any regrets later. We've lived our youth to the fullest.
APC: Thank you, Boi Ngoc, for sharing your fascinating journey in pursuing your dreams. APC wishes you continued strength and resilience in your career and the achievement of all your goals.
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Detailed information American Polytechnic College (APC):
Zhongshan Campus:
- Address: Numbers 5-7-9-11, Street No. 4, Trung Son Residential Area, Ho Chi Minh City
- Phone: (028) 5433 6888
- Hotline: 0938 90 5050 | 090 2858 550
Go Vap branch:
- Address: 1A Nguyen Van Luong Street, Ward 6, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City
- Phone: (028) 7302 5888
Cu Chi branch:
- Address: 83A Bui Thi He Street, Ward 1, Cu Chi Town, Cu Chi District, Ho Chi Minh City
- Phone: (028) 3636 4983
Can Tho branch
- Address: 135P Tran Hung Dao Street, An Phu Ward, Ninh Kieu District, Can Tho City
- Phone: (0292) 3832 045
- Hotline: 0937 910 212
Training programs/fields of study:
UK INTERNATIONAL COLLEGE SYSTEM:
- BTEC HND in Hospitality Management
- BTEC HND in Business (HRM – Human Resource Management)
- BTEC HND in Business (Marketing)
- BTEC HND in Business (Accounting and Finance)
- BTEC HND in Art and Design
REGULAR COLLEGE PROGRAM:
- Management group
- Translation and Interpretation Group
- Information Technology Sector
- Healthcare sector
- Design field
Facebook: American Polytechnic College
E-mail:
- Admissions Office: info@caodangvietmy.edu.vn
- Training Department: phongdaotao@caodangvietmy.edu.vn
- Student Services Office: dichvusinhvien@caodangvietmy.edu.vn
Author: Viet My College - Date written: September 26, 2019
Category: Student life, Hotel and restaurant management, Students, News - Events
Tags: APC, Viet My College, Hotel Management, students
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